In email correspondence Jim Cootes wrote that this species is found in the north of Mindanao possibly from Bukidnon Province.

The Plants Description

The pseudobulbs cluster on a short rhizome and are shaped obpyriform. The pseudobulbs measure 1.7-2.2cm long and 0.7-1.1cm in diameter. The pseudobulbs are covered by c3 cataphylls while they are growing. The cataphylls soon disintegrate into persistent fibres as the pseudobulbs mature. The leaves are petiolate; the petiole measures c4cm long. The leaf blades are shaped lanceolate and have obtuse apices. The leaf blades measure c15.3cm long and c2.1cm wide. The leaves are dark green above, light green below and have 3-7 distinct nerves.

The Inflorescence

The inflorescence is synanthous. The peduncle is finely setose, erect and curved. The peduncle measures 12.2-14.8cm long. The rachis is quadrangular in cross section, nodding and measures 4.3-5.3cm long. The flowers alternate distichously and are spaced 1.5-2.0mm apart; the rachis axis twists to form a terete rachis. There are c4 appressed non-floriferous bracts at the base of the rachis.

The Flowers

The flowers are deep crimson to orange-brown. I have counted between 19 and 24 flowers on my plants. The sepals and petals spread somewhat widely. The dorsal sepal is shaped linear-oblong and has a rounded to obtuse apex. The dorsal sepal measures 5.9-6.4mm long and 1.8-2.0mm wide. The dorsal sepal is three veined and has entire margins. The lateral sepals are shaped obliquely oblong and have obtuse to rounded apices. The lateral sepals measure 6.0-6.5mm long and 2.2-2.3mm wide. The lateral sepals are three veined and have entire margins. The petals are shaped oblanceolate-oblong and have obtuse apices. The petals measure 5.5-6.5mm long and 2.2-2.3mm wide. The petals are three veined and have entire margins. The labellum is porrect, entire and fleshy. The labellum measures 5.4-5.6mm long and 2.4-2.7mm wide. The labellum is shaped elliptic-oblong and has an acuminate apex, the proximal margins are incurved. The labellum is three veined and has entire margins. There are two lateral keels that run nearly the whole length of the labellum; there is a smaller median keel that runs from the middle of the labellum to the apex. The column is straight and measures c1.8mm long. The apical hood is prolonged into a bidentate apex with an entire margin sometimes with an apiculum. The apical hood exceeds the anther cap. There is no column foot. The stelidia grow upwards from above the middle of the column and are equal to or exceed the column apex. The stelidia are shaped triangular sometimes slightly falcate with obtuse to subacute apices.

Henrik Pedersen grouped this species with Dendrochilum convallariaeforme, Dendrochilum propinquum and Dendrochilum ecallosum. Pedersen wrote (2004) that the species was most closely related to Dendrochilum convallariaeforme.

This plant arrived in Europe from a batch of Philippine imported plants labelled as Dendrochilum arachnites ‘red’

The epithet refers to the colour of the flowers.

Reference –

PEDERSEN, Henrik. 2004, Three New Species of Dendrochilum, Blumea 49 351-360, Leiden, The Netherlands

World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. 27 July 2009. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet; http://www.kew.org/wcsp/ accessed 27 July 2009.